Woman gets nine years in prison for foster child’s death

WARREN — The 31-year-old Champion woman who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the April 2 death of her 20-month-old foster daughter said she was “unable to explain” what caused the child’s death.

A judge sentenced her to nine years in prison Thursday.

Bonnie Pattinson was living with her husband, two children and the foster child, Tiffany Banks Cross, in a duplex on Center Street West at the time.

“Tiffany was not loved by just my husband and myself but by her entire extended family,” Pattinson told Judge John M. Stuard of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

“And although I am unable to explain exactly what happened to her ... to cause her to stop breathing, I want everyone to know that I did seek immediate emergency help when I became aware that she had stopped breathing.”

Pattinson, who sat through most of the hearing with her long, brown hair covering most of her face, spoke quietly and with little emotion.

“My family’s only intention was to love her, keep her safe and watch her grow,” she said. “My family never intended for something so tragic to happen.”

Her attorney, Anthony Consoldane noted that Pattinson has two children of her own and had cared for a previous foster child before Tiffany with no problems.

The Trumbull County Children’s Services Board, which had permanent custody of the girl, said there had not been any previous reports of child abuse before the girl died.

Members of the girl’s biological family, however, complained that CSB had failed to properly monitor the girl’s condition and said Pattinson deserved a life prison sentence.